I am welcoming Spring with some new little hat designs that I found on an awesome site called http://mylittlecitygirl.com.  If you haven’t visited this website before, please check it out as I’m sure you will definitely find something super cute!! In the process of crocheting one of her patterns, she finishes the edge  by using the Crab Stitch (aka: Reverse Single Crochet/Backward Single Crochet).  For me, I find the crab stitch a great way to complete a finished edge of a garment, blanket, hat, etc.  giving the completed edge of your project wonderful stability plus a subtle decorative look that has a slight bump within the design.  You could also add this edge design to a knitted garment too. So here goes a tutorial for you to help show you how to crochet this stitch: As the name implies (reverse single crochet) you will actually be crocheting in the OPPOSITE direction from how you normally work your stitch rows.  IMPORTANT:  You DO NOT TURN your work.  Complete one (1) chain stitch and then begin your crab stitch in the first single crochet to your RIGHT.  I like to slightly loosen the loop that is currently on my hook to make it easier to slide my hook into both loops of the single crochet. Once I have both of these single crochet loops on my hook, I will gently tighten that bottom loop to make it even with the two single crochet loops.  Now your working yarn tail is on the left side of your hook and you want to wrap it around your hook (going from right to left).   Pull that yarn over through both loops that make up the single crochet but not through the loop that was currently on your hook leaving two loops on your hook. This pulled loop will be sitting on top of the other loop and your hook will be facing north.  Now here is the tricky part ~~ to create the slight bump effect, you want to twist these two loops and have your hook face west.  So you will make a slight CLOCKWISE TURN and now the top loop will be on the left side and the head of your crochet hook will be facing west.  This motion actually makes a twist in the bottom loop creating the bump effect.   I hold my work close to the crochet hook with my left hand as I twist my hook around with my right hand making the clockwise turn in front of my work. Yarn over and pull through both of these loops.  You have just created the crab stitch or reverse single crochet. Now repeat around your project edge, join with a slip stitch when completed and fasten off. Like anything new, it will take a little practice to get the feel for this stitch and might feel like you are crocheting in slow motion.   But once you have created a few, you will develop your own rhythm and speed will pick up 🙂 Give it a try and I’m sure you will really like how your finished edge looks and how secure it is. If there is a down fall to this stitch, it would be the fact that once made, you won’t be able to crochet nicely through this stitch~~it is truly a finished edge.

HAPPY CREATING!!

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